Knockdown furniture



` Feb. 4, 1969 F, M; BUDD l 3,425,764

' KNoCKDowN FURNITURE Filed June 6, 1967 INVENTOR. F24/w65 /l//.l 5000 BY wy ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,425,764 KNOCKDOWN FURNITURE Frances M. Budd, 250 Claremont, Elmhurst, Ill. 60126 Filed June 6, 1967, Ser. No. 643,962 U.S. Cl. 312--259 Int. Cl. A47b 3/06, 43/02; B6Sd 5/12 5 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to novel knockdown furniture and is more particularly concerned with a construction which is especially adapted to be made from corrugated paper boxboard and the like.

Conventional furniture made from wood, metal, plastic materials, and combinations thereof is relatively expensive, heavy, and does not generally lend itself to the convenience of knockdown construction enabling quick setting up from a compact collapsed condition.

According to the principles of the present invention, knockdown furniture having the desirable attributes of compactness in the collapsed condition, ease of setting up, versatility in use, utilizing inexpensive materials, sturdiness for the intended purposes, and pleasing in appearance is provided. The construction is especially suitable for occasional tables, night stands, footstools, receptacles such as for used towels and soiled clothing, hostess trays, and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide knockdown furniture of the character indicated which is light in weight for convenience in handling and shipping.

Another object of the invention is to provide knockdown furniture which in the collapsed condition is compact to occupy minimum package or storage space.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel knockdown furniture construction adapted to be made from corrugated boxboard.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of certain preferred embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a stand or table embodying features of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an isometric view of a receptacle embodying features of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is an isometric view showing a package containing collapsed parts for knockdown furniture according to the invention;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of an article adapted to serve either as an end member for the table or receptacle assembly or separately and individually as a tray, and with one of the sections of the rim opened out as it appears before folding into the bar section structure thereof;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken substantially on the line V-V of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially on the line VI-VI of FIG- URE 4.

Representative of knockdown furniture embodying features of the invention is a table-like structure 10 (FIG. 1) which may serve as a night stand, occasional table, footstool, and the like. It comprises an end member 11 and a tubular body 12. Another example is shown in FIGURE 2 wherein a knockdown furniture assembly 13 having the end member 11 and a tubular body 14 is adapted to serve as an open top receptacle such as a waste basket or clothes hamper, or the like. l

Both of the items 10 and 13 are adapted to be set up from a collapsed or knockdown condition wherein the tubular bodies 12 and 14, respectively, are separated from the end member 11, and folded into compact relatively dat condition and adapted to be packed together with the end member 11 in a flat carrying, storage or shipping box 15 (FIG. 3). In this arrangement, one of the collapsed bodies 12 and one of the collapsed bodies 14, together with one of the end members 11 may be packed in the box 15 as a kit and the user may selectively assemble either the body 12 or the body 14 with the end member to provide the article of furniture desired, or the end member 11 may be separately used as `a hostess or like carrying tray. When not in use, the articles of furniture may be conveniently collapsed and packed in the box 15 for storage or transportation. Either of the knockdown assemblies may be used as a stand or table or as a receptacle, depending on which end is disposed upwardly. Desirably, as shown, the tubular body 12 may be of one length, which is shorter than the length of the tubular body 14. Numerous and varied uses for the assemblies 10 and 13 are readily apparent, such as low stand, serving table, footstool, night stand, occasional table, receptacle, and the like.

Desirably, the material used in constructing the several items, and parts thereof is a lightweight, self-sustaining sheet material, of which corrugated boxboard is a low cost example. As is well known, corrugated board is made with a corrugated core between substantially flat facing sheets. This provides a material which although light in weight has excellent self-sustaining properties, strongly resisting shear and bending stresses in normal usage, but can be readily formed by cutting, shearing, scoring, folding and the like into desired articles.

In a desirable construction, the tubular body 12 is multisided and `is formed from a single sheet of corrugated board formed with equally spaced, parallel creases 17 (FIG. 5) extending longitudinally parallel with the corrugations of the sheet and subdividing 'the sheet into a plurality of side panels 12a, with the ends of the sheet secured together in a lap joint 18 whereby to complete the multisided tube. Excellent results have been attained with an eight-sided tubular body. In the collapsed condition as sh-own in dash outline in FIGURE 5, a compact arrangement is attained by folding pairs of the panels 12a at diametrically opposite sides inwardly upon themselves and collapsing the remaining side panels 12a onto the inwardly collapsed panels. If desired, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the side panels 12a may be notched out at one end of the tubular body with scallop-like notches 19 to limit floor engagement of the panel ends and thus facilitate standing on a rug covered surface, and also providing an ornamental appearance.

Construction of the longer tubular body 14 is substantially the same as for the tubular body 12. Thus, the body 14 is made from a sheet of material having longitudinal creases 20 dividing it into equal side panels 14a and with the panels joined along a lap joint 21. To facilitate carrying, and the like, holes 22 may be provided intermediate the length of the panels 14a.

Construction of the combination end member and tray 11 issuch that it can be readily assembled with either of the bodies 12 or 14, selectively, in simple slip-0n coaction or snap-in assembly wherein the folded body member is placed in position relative to the member 11 and then unfolded into assembled relation. For this purpose, the member 11 comprises a panel having opposite faces and a multisided periphery complementary to the perimeter of the body member to be assembled therewith. In this instance, the panel is eight-sided about its perimeter. On the face of the panel a substantially rigid rim is provided of substantial width and thickness projecting from the plane of such face and comprising multisections 23 which are complementary and parallel to the periphery sides. Conveniently, each of the rim sections 23 comprises a bar structure having its ends confronting the respective ends of the sections next adjacent thereto, whereby the rim defines a tray area as well `as a complementary tubular bodyreceiving socket within its confines.

In a desirable construction, each of the rim sections 23 comprises a plurality of narrow successively arranged foldable panels attached to the associated side edge of the main panel perimeter. In this instance, a first rim panel 24 is provided coextensive with the main panel side and attached thereto along a crease 25. When turned up into a plane normal to the face plane of the main panel 11, the rim panel 24 provides the outer perimeter face of its section of the rim (FIG. 6). As the rim crown, each of the sections 23 is provided with a narrow panel 27 joined t-o the panel 24 along a crease 28 and having end edges 29 tapered from the crease 28 toward one another appropriately to afford a miter joint with the ends of the crown panels of the rim sections next adjacent thereto. On the inner sides of the respective rim sections respective narrow panels 30 each joined to its companion panel 27 by a crease 31 is folded in to extend substantially normal to the main panel 11 whereby to complete a substantially bar-like formation on the adjacent margin of the panel 11.

In order to reinforce and substantially rigidify the barlike rim section 23, a multilayer corrugated cellular core 32 is secured therein and to the inner surfaces of the section panels 24, 27, and 30 and to the engaged margin of the panel 11. The securing means for the core 32 desirably comprise a suitable adhesive.

While the respective confronting ends of the rim sections Z3 may be adhesively or otherwise secured, additional or alternative means for joining all of the ends of the rim sections together comprise respective tab anges 33 which extend to a suitable length from one end of each of the inner rirn section panel anges 30 and lappingly engage between the inner flange panel 30 and the core 32 of the contiguous rim section 23. Thereby the rim sections 23 are, in effect, locked together. This provides a thoroughly rigid rim which firmly resists deformation and snugly retains the selected tubular body 12 or 13 engaged within the 'socket defined by the rim.

Additional locking retention of the rim sections 23, and more particularly the inner panel flanges 30 thereof, and stiifening of the body portion of the panel 11 is effected by means of an insert disk 34. This disk is complementary in periphery to the inside dimension defined by the panel flanges 30, being thus complementary in multisided shape to the outline of the area within the rim. Suitable means such as adhesive `desirably secures the disk 34 to the inner face of the panel 11. Desirably, the disk 34 comprises a double layer corrugated board.

1f desired, the outer or any of the desired exposed surfaces of the tubular bodies 12 or 13 and of the combination end member, tray. 11 may be suitably decorated in solid colors or designs to suit any particular purposes or preferences.

It will be understood that variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of this invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. An article of furniture of the character described, comprising,

a panel having opposite faces and a multisided periphery;

a substantially rigid multisection rim of substantial width and thickness on said panel projecting from the plane of one of said faces and with its sections complementary and parallel to said sides;

and each of said sections comprising a plurality of panels folded into a bar-like structure having its ends in miter joint confronting relation to the respective ends of the sections next adjacent thereto;

whereby the rim defines a tray area as well as a complementary tubular body-receiving socket within its confines.

2. An article as defined in claim 1, in which said sections comprise respective extensions frorn said panel sides subdivided along lines parallel to said sides by creases into a plurality of panel anges folded inwardly onto a respective adjacent marginal portion of said one face along the respective side.

3. An article as defined in claim 2, in which said panel flanges comprise a first panel flange attached to the associated side of said panel and coextensive in length to the width of such side, a second panel ange having its ends miter tapered toward one another, and a third panel flange substantially coextensive in length with the narrowest side of said second panel flange, said first panel flange providing the outer side of the respective rim section, said second panel flange providing a crown for such section, and the third panel ange providing an inner side for such section.

4. An article as defined in claim 3, in which said third panel flange has a tab extending from one end thereof and interengaged with the next adjacent section at that end of the third panel flange to interlock the sections.

5. An article according to claim 1, said sections comprising respective narrow panel flanges joined t0 said panel and to each other along creases,

respective stiffening cores wrapped within said flanges and with certain respective flanges along the inner sides of the cores, and

said certain flanges having respective tabs extending endwise therefrom and engaged interlockingly within next adjacent sections between the cores thereof and the flanges along the inner sides of such cores.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,911,073 5/1933 Dyment 229-41 2,361,875 10/1944 Sachs.

2,449,017 9/1948 Smiler 297-462 2,858,968 11/1958 Pellaton 229-41 3,023,050 2/1962 Jenson 297-462 3,167,234 1/1965 Munroe 229-23 3,174,675 3/1965 Rosenberg 229-41 3,202,335 8/1965 Budd 229-41 3,261,533 7/1966 Reping 229-41 JAMES T. McCALL, Primary Examiner.

U.S. C1. X.R. 

